Analog controls housed with electronic displays for personal digital assistants

ABSTRACT

A portable personal computer including a housing sized to be held in a single hand during use of the computer, allowing the free hand to input data. The housing at least in part supports a general image display, and a proportional sensor for creating a varying value according to varying depression applied by a finger of a human user to a depressible surface of the sensor. Multiple proportional sensors are sometimes utilized. In one preferred embodiment the proportional sensor(s) include resilient dome cap(s) for providing tactile feedback to the finger depressing the depressible surface. Circuitry within the housing is connected to the sensor for reading the varying value from the sensor and causing representative varying of the imagery shown by the display.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

A Priority claim is hereby made under 35 U.S.C. 120:

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 09/568,662 filed May 10, 2000, and a Priority claim was made to Provisional Patent Application No. 60/133,682 filed May 11, 1999 in and for the Application No. 09/568,662.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention involves an electronic device including a combination of a electronic visual display in or on a housing, electronic circuitry in the housing, and at least one analog sensor comprising a finger or thumb depressible surface with associated analog pressure-sensitive element. The analog pressure-sensitive element is for output of a signal of variable value utilized by the circuitry to control or manipulate one or more functions of the electronic device. The resultant control manipulation from the analog sensor is in some manner indicated or displayed on the display at least at the time the user is pressing the depressible surface, thereby the human user is provided data related to a new state or setting brought about, or in the process of being brought about, by manipulating the variable value of the analog sensor through controlled varied amounts of finger pressure applied to the depressible surface of the analog sensor. Based upon the feedback on the display, the user may terminate, increase or decrease the finger pressure on the depressible surface of the analog sensor.

2. Brief Description of Related Prior Art

Displays, housings, electronics and analog output buttons do exist in the prior art. The present invention, however, does not exist in the prior art and is of significant and substantial value as will become fully appreciated with continued reading.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, at least from one viewpoint, is an electronic device, which may take many forms as herein disclosed, but all including a combination of a electronic visual display in or on a housing, electronic circuitry in the housing, and including at least one human user depressible surface with associated analog pressure-sensitive element for output of a signal of variable value utilized by the circuitry to control or manipulate a function(s) of the device. The at least one analog pressure-sensitive element receives pressure applied by a user's finger (the word finger or fingers or digit can be herein used to include the thumb) to the depressible surface, varied pressure applied by the user determines varied value of the signal, and this allows the user to select rates of change, the rate of change in some way being displayed on the display to allow the user to choose more or less pressure, or to terminate pressure on the finger depressible surface. The resultant control manipulation from the analog variable value is in some manner indicated or made visually detectable as feedback on the display at least at the time the analog sensor is being depressed, and this to allow the intelligent application of finger pressure by the user to the analog sensor. Some examples of functions which can be manipulated, controlled or changed, and at variable rates dependant upon user applied pressure, include menus or lists displayed on telephones, television program menus and the like, numeric settings such as related to time, temperature or number of units, such as number of copies to be made by a photocopy machine for example. Some additional examples of electronic devices described in accordance with the invention include desktop displays, hand-held game systems, personal digital assistants (PDA), electronic books, wireless web browsers, time display clocks/watches, cooking ovens, pagers, remote controller such as used with TVs stereos, etc., and coffee makers all with displays. The displays can be CRT, non-CRT, LCD, LED or any other suitable type and in many applications are seven-element numeric displays such as are commonly used to display number of units or time.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device including a combination of an electronic visual display in or on a housing, electronic circuitry in the housing, and at least one analog sensor comprising a finger or thumb depressible surface with associated analog pressure-sensitive element for output of a signal of variable value utilized by the circuitry to manipulate one or more functions of the electronic device at varied rates, the manipulation in some manner indicated on the display at least at the time the user is pressing the depressible surface, thereby the human user is provided data allowing the intelligent increase, decrease or termination of the finger pressure to effect a rate of change.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a 2-way analog rocker as may be employed with the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a 4-way analog rocker as may be employed with the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram in accordance with the invention having a general image display.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram in accordance with the invention having a two digit seven segment numeric display.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram in accordance with the invention having a three digit seven segment numeric time display.

FIG. 6 shows a personal digital assistant (PDA), in the nature of a PALM PILOT by 3COM or the like and modified in accordance with the present invention, including a housing, a display screen mounted within the housing, and 2-way and 4-way analog rockers, and buttons.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Herein incorporated by reference is my pending U.S. Provisional application No. 60/133,682 filed May 11, 1999 titled ANALOG CONTROLS HOUSED WITH ELECTRONIC DISPLAYS for the teachings of the present invention therein.

Also herein incorporated by reference is my pending U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 08/942,450 filed Oct. 1, 1997, title GAME CONTROLLER WITH ANALOG PRESSURE SENSOR(S), now U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,802; this disclosure incorporated by reference primarily for the positive teachings therein of structuring and methods of use and the reading of analog sensors such as elastomeric dome-cap style positioned in end-use for depression directly or in-directly by a human digit with varying degrees of force. Additionally, 4-way analog rockers, 2-way analog rocker buttons and individual analog push buttons are described in detail in my disclosure titled GAME CONTROLLER WITH ANALOG PRESSURE SENSOR(S).

Also herein incorporated by reference is my pending U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 09/122,269 filed Jul. 24, 1998, titled VARIABLE-CONDUCTANCE SENSOR WITH ELASTOMERIC DOME-CAP, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,886; this disclosure incorporated by reference primarily for the positive teachings therein of structuring and methods of use and the reading of analog sensors such as elastomeric dome-cap sensors positioned in end-use for depression directly or indirectly by a human digit with varying degrees of force, and for data related to possible digital bit assigning to various states or levels of conductivity of the analog sensors wherein the differing bit assignment can be used indicative of differing pressures applied by the human user to the analog or pressure-sensitive variable conductance sensor(s).

Also herein incorporated by reference is my U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,084 issued Dec. 7, 1999 titled VARIABLE-CONDUCTANCE SENSOR; this Patent incorporated by reference primarily for the positive teachings therein of structuring and methods of use and the reading of analog sensors as with my packaged type such as with a conductive dome providing a tactile feedback, circuit elements and pressure-sensitive variable-conductance material engaged or engagable with the circuit elements to provide analog output or the like; the sensor positioned in end-use for depression directly or in-directly such as by a human digit with varying degrees of force. This sensor provides tactile feedback at approximate activation and deactivation of the analog pressure sensitive material, the disclosure describing the benefits, which can be gained with an analog sensor providing bi- or uni-directional tactile feedback.

Also herein incorporated by reference is my pending U.S. Provisional application No. 60/135,085 filed May 20, 1999 titled KEYBOARD WITH DEPRESSIBLE ANALOG SCROLL CONTROL. This provisional disclosure also includes a modified USB software code on 3.5″ floppy which although specifically directed to my Mouse With Analog Buttons of application No. 09/167,314, it can clearly be readily modified to operate with the present invention, although those skilled in the art will agree numerous suitable software codes can be readily applied with little modification to interface between the hardware of a keyboard in accordance with the invention and software, ROM, hardware, etc. of a computer to be manipulated by the present keyboard. The modified code is one which includes a bit assignment for each scroll direction and associated with each button associated with that direction, and which is arranged along with electronics to repeat the direction-identifying code at a variable rate of repeat when the user is depressing the associated button, the rate of repeat (scrolling) indicative of the read value of the analog sensor, i.e., pressure-sensitive variable-conductance material and the amount of depressive force the human user is applying thereto. Greater details of this Variable-Rate On/Off Messaging System are provided in my pending U.S. Provisional application filed May 10, 1999, application No. 60/133,319 and herein incorporated by reference, and this for the teaching of the varied “ON” or “OFF” signal rate of sending, the rate of the simple message being dependant or resultant of the amount of pressure applied or the varied value single of a pressure-sensitive analog element. Certainly other suitable codes and the like can be utilized within the scope of the invention. For more data regarding software or firmware codes, go to cypress.com on the World Wide Web. Also incorporated herein is my pending U.S. Non-Provisional application version of the Provisional application No. 60/135,085 filed May 20, 1999 titled KEYBOARD WITH DEPRESSIBLE ANALOG SCROLL CONTROL, the Non-Provisional application No. 09/563,109 filed May 2, 2000 also titled KEYBOARD WITH DEPRESSIBLE ANALOG SCROLL CONTROL.

Also herein incorporated by reference is my pending U.S. Non-Provisional application No. 08/677,378 filed Jul. 5, 1996 titled IMAGE CONTROLLERS AND SENSORS (as amended) particularly, but not exclusively, for the pressure-sensitive membrane analog sensors with tactile feedback described therein.

Also herein incorporated by reference is my pending U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 09/148,806 filed Sep. 4, 1998, title REMOTE CONTROLLER WITH ANALOG BUTTON(S). This disclosure incorporated by reference primarily for the positive teachings therein of structuring and methods for dual-purpose sensors capable of both analog and On/Off modes.

Also herein incorporated by reference is U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,227 issued Feb. 2, 1982, this patent incorporated only for its positive teachings of membrane or sheet based analog sensors.

With reference now to the drawings for a more detailed description.

FIGS. 3-5 show various diagrams of general image displays that may be utilized with a variety of consumer electronic devices, such as a personal digital assistant, and having a housing 11, a display 22 associated with housing 11, i.e. mounted on or in the housing 11, and at least one analog sensor 26 having a depressible surface area associated with the display. Analog sensors 26 can be ganged in 2-way and 4-way units such as rockers 14, 16 and 18, or can be in single button or surface form such as shown at 19 in some of the drawings. The analog sensor 26 in a preferred structure has a pressure-sensitive variable-conductance material for providing a variable signal varying with differing amounts of user finger applied pressure, however, the associated circuitry can be structured to additionally read a rapid press and release on the sensor as a momentary-On used to supply a single increment signal, e.g., single step numeric increase/decrease or scroll up/down. As the user's finger depresses the sensor material, its conductivity is read by associated circuitry, such as a microcontroller, reading the time of charge or discharge of a capacitor as determined by the conductivity of the analog sensor material. The devices that may be utilized with the present invention already have internal microcontrollers or even more complex circuitry, and one of average skill in the art can readily apply the analog buttons/sensors/analog rockers/analog membrane sensors to the indicated art with an understanding of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a 2-way analog rocker 14 or 16 as may be employed in embodiments of the invention as an analog sensor 26. Shown is a circuit board 40 with exposed interdigitated circuit traces 44 as a common, 42, 46 as outs or switch legs; two “pills” or disks of pressure-sensitive variable-conductance material 38; two rubber-dome caps 36 positioned beneath a 2-way rocker member 30. The 2-way rocker member 30 has a first depressible surface 32 and a second depressible surface 34. Each finger depressible surface 32, 34 for functioning by depression with the shown respective dome-caps 36, pills 38 and the circuit traces 42, 44, 46. It does not require a rocker to electrically achieve that which is accomplished with a 2-way or 4-way, 14, 16, 18 rocker, as two separate or four separate depressible buttons or surfaces (see FIG. 2) can be used although I prefer the rocker format for ease of locating desired direction oriented depressible surfaces simply by feel without having to look.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a 4-way analog rocker 18 as may be employed in the embodiments of the current invention. Shown is a circuit board 40 with exposed circuit traces indicated at 62 for four sensors 26. Also shown are four pressure-sensitive variable-conductance pills or elements 38; a 4-way rubber-dome cap unit 56 with each of the 4 dome caps 60 support by base 58 over a “pill” or disk of pressure-sensitive variable-conductance material 38; and a 4-way rocker member having a first surface 48, a second surface 50, and third surface 52, and a fourth depressible surface 54. Each surface for functioning by depression with the shown respective dome-caps 60, pills 38 and circuitry 62 of the board 40. This disclosure discloses that which can be viewed from numerous points, but clearly herein described are improved methods, structures, and also methods of manufacturing in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 3-5 show block diagrams in accordance with the invention. Illustrated is a housing 11 containing two sensors 26, one sensor 26 having depressible surface 80 and the other sensor 26 having depressible surface 82. The sensors 26 are connected to circuitry 53 connected to a display 22. Also illustrated is a box representing a human user 72 with the user's eye 74 receiving visual feedback from display 22. The visual feedback received by the eye 74 at least in part influences the depressive pressure exerted by the user's finger 76 against sensor 26 which in turn is read by circuitry 53 which controls the visual feedback displayed on display 22, thus a closed loop feedback system is established in which the user 72 receives immediate feedback concerning the control of the electronic device according to the invention. The state of circuitry 53, as controlled by the user, can control other functions 78 of the electronic device.

FIG. 3 shows display 22 as a general image display. The general image display 22 includes an upper area and a lower area, thus a user may scroll data at varying rates from the lower area to the upper area by pressing surface 80, and from the upper area to the lower area by pressing surface 82.

FIG. 4 shows display 22 having two seven segment numeric displays 28, thus the user may select numbers at a variable rate by varying depression on sensors 26. For example, such selection may be for number of copies to be made by a photocopy machine, temperature setting of a thermostat, channel number on a television and the like. Depression of surface 80 is arranged in this example to cause a variable rate of ascending numbers according to the level of depressive pressure applied to surface 80. Depression of surface 82 is arranged in this example to cause a variable rate of descending numbers according to the level of depressive pressure applied to surface 82.

FIG. 5 shows display 22 having three seven segment numeric displays 28 as are commonly used in time displays. Thus the user may select at a variable rate, numbers representing timing, by varying depression on sensors 26. In FIG. 5, depression of surface 80 is arranged in this example to cause a variable rate of ascending numbers representing time according to the level of depressive pressure applied to surface 80, and depression of surface 82 is arranged in this example to cause a variable rate of descending numbers according to the level of depressive pressure applied to surface 82, or surfaces 80 and 82 can be arranged to control hours and minutes individually. Clearly a clock can be greatly advantaged by ascending and descending sensors 26 for both hours and minutes adjustments.

FIG. 6 shows a personal digital assistant (PDA) 3, in the nature of a Palm Pilot by 3COM or the like and modified in accordance with the present invention. In general a PDA, also referred to sometimes as a “pocket computer”, is a relatively small portable device having a touch sensitive or stylus sensitive screen allowing the user access to a variety of software usually available on larger laptop or stationary desktop computers. The types of software that may be utilized with a PDA include spreadsheet software, organizer software, calendar software, word processing software, graphics software, entertainment and/or game software, global positioning system software and map display software. Shown in FIG. 6 is a housing 11 and a display 22 mounted within housing 11. At the lower left corner of the housing is shown a 4-way analog rocker 18. Shown at the lower center of the housing is a 2-way analog rocker 16 which can serve as an X-axis control or scroller, and at the left, on the side of the housing, is shown a 2-way analog rocker 14 which can serve as a Y-axis control or scroller. Also shown, at the lower right hand corner are at least on analog button 19 and at least one button 20 capable of serving as an On/Off switch. The analog buttons can be used for variable control of imagery or other functions. The positions of the shown analog rockers and buttons on this and all figures are for example to illustrate various possible locations for analog rockers and/or buttons associated with display in accordance with the invention. Also shown in broken lines is a 4-way analog rocker 18 on the back side of housing 11 which may be located anywhere on the back side of housing 11, as could also 2-way rockers and analog buttons. The placement of the 2-way analog rockers, 4-way analog rockers or single analog push button to the back side of the housing can be applied to any of the embodiments herein shown, and would allow viewing of the display while hold the housing with the fingers on the back side of the housing and manipulating the rockers and or buttons.

The present electronic devices utilize analog sensors and circuitry for reading at least three readable states, analog values or conductance levels of each of the analog sensors; the states, values, levels or the like may be or can be varied voltages or currents (example only), and are varied dependant upon depressive pressure applied to a finger depressible button associated with each analog sensor. Button may be herein treated as the finger depressible area of a rocker member such as a 2-way or 4-way or the like. The associated circuitry is structured to read an immediate, instant or current state or value of the analog sensors and to communicate representative control signals. The at least three states of the active element (analog sensor) can represent at least: 1) no pressure, 2) low pressure, and 3) high pressure applied to the depressible surface by the human user's finger or thumb (digit), the 3 level equating to rates of change. The analog sensor and circuitry arrangement can be employed in a manner wherein not just three but many states are read, thus ensuring high resolution reading of a variably changing depressive button pressure input. Preferably, many different user determinable rates (many different states rate by the circuitry) are provided between low and high pressure on the associated button so that the user is provided, for example, very slow, slow, medium, fast and very fast change rates. With the analog sensors, the user is provided variable change rate control dependant upon the degree of depressive pressure he or she applies to the button associated with the analog sensor(s) which is indicated or made visually detectable on the display at least at the time the analog sensor is being depressed, and this to allow the intelligent application of finger pressure by the user to the analog sensor. Based on the information shown on the associated display, the user can choose to increase, decrease or terminate finger pressure on the analog sensor. Such an arrangement provides the user vastly improved control by allowing the user to apply low pressure to have a slow rate of change, or to apply high pressure to initiate very rapid change, and then to reduce the applied pressure to the button to reduce the rate of change in order to stop easily and precisely on a desired target or within a desired area, such precise control is clearly advantageous and desirable.

The invention can be viewed or defined in numerous ways including structure and methods as those skilled in the art will realize upon a reading of this disclosure presented to exemplify rather than limit the invention. Thus, the invention should be defined by the broadest possible interpretation of the claims. 

I claim:
 1. A hand-held personal computer, comprising: a housing sized to be held in a single hand; electronic circuitry located in said housing; a general image display located in said housing, said general image display operatively connected to said circuitry; a first finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said first finger depressible surface operatively connected to a pressure-sensitive first analog sensor, said first analog sensor for inputting a first signal to said circuitry; a second depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said second depressible surface operatively connected to a pressure-sensitive second analog sensor, said second analog sensor for inputting a second signal to said circuitry; said circuitry structured to receive the signals and to cause said general image display to scroll information at a variable rate according to variable pressure applied to the depressible surfaces.
 2. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 1 wherein variable depression of a surface of a rocker having at least two depressible surfaces causes the information to zoom at a variable rate on said display.
 3. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 1 wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are thumb depressible single individual buttons.
 4. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 3 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured with resilient dome caps, said dome caps structured to provide tactile feedback.
 5. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 3 wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are surfaces of a rocker.
 6. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 5 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured with resilient dome caps, said dome caps structured to provide tactile feedback.
 7. An improved hand-held personal computer of the type held in a single hand during use, wherein the improvements comprise: a housing sized to be held by a single hand; and electronic circuitry located in said housing; a general image display at least in part supported within said housing, said general image display operatively connected to said circuitry; a first finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said first finger depressible surface operatively connected to a pressure-sensitive first analog sensor, said first analog sensor for inputting a first signal to said circuitry, said first signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said first finger depressible surface; a second depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said second depressible surface operatively connected to a pressure-sensitive second analog sensor, said second analog sensor for inputting a second signal to said circuitry, said second signal having variable value depending on variable pressure applied to said second depressible surface; said circuitry structured to receive the signals and to cause said general image display to scroll information at a variable rate according to variable pressure applied to the depressible surfaces.
 8. An improved hand-held personal computer according to claim 7 wherein variable depression of a first depressible surface of a rocker having at least two depressible areas causes the information to scroll at a variable rate in a first direction on said display, and variable depression of a second depressible surface of said rocker causes the information to scroll at a variable rate in a second direction on said display.
 9. An improved hand-held personal computer according to claim 7 wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are thumb depressible single individual buttons.
 10. An improved hand-held personal computer according to claim 9 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured to provide tactile feedback.
 11. An improved hand-held personal computer according to claim 7 wherein the pressure-sensitive analog sensors are structured with resilient dome caps, said dome caps structured to provide tactile feedback.
 12. A hand-held personal computer, comprising: means for computing; said means for computing at least in part within a housing sized for holding in a single first hand of a human user; electronic circuitry located in said housing and operatively connected to a general image display, the general image display at least in part supported by said housing; at least one finger depressible surface in part exposed on said housing for depression by a digit of a second hand of the human user, said at least one finger depressible surface operatively connected to at least one depressible proportional sensor, said proportional sensor for inputting a signal to said circuitry, said signal having a varying value representing varying depression of said at least one finger depressible surface; said circuitry structured to receive said signal and to cause said general image display to change display of information at a rate related to said value.
 13. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 12 wherein said at least one finger depressible surface is a first depressible surface, said hand-held personal computer further includes a finger depressible surface which is a second depressible surface in part exposed on said housing, said second depressible surface operatively connected to a second proportional sensor, said second proportional sensor for inputting a second signal to said circuitry, said second signal having a varying value representing varying depression of said second depressible surface.
 14. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 13 wherein the proportional sensors are pressure-sensitive and are structured with resilient dome caps, said dome caps structured to provide a break-over tactile feedback.
 15. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 14 wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are surfaces of at least a two-way rocker.
 16. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 15 wherein depression of said first depressible surface causes the information to scroll in a first direction on said display, and depression of said second depressible surface causes the information to scroll in a second direction on said display.
 17. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 14 wherein said first depressible surface and said second depressible surface are surfaces of a 4-way rocker.
 18. A hand-held personal computer according to claim 13 wherein depression of said first depressible surface causes the information to zoom in a first direction on said display, and depression of said second depressible surface causes the information to zoom in a second direction on said display. 